


A Decorative Stick and Play Money After Midnight

by toomanycurls



Series: Before the Sun Sets (HP Next-Gen) [9]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Community: HPFT, M/M, Muggle/Wizard Relations, Mystery
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-14
Updated: 2017-04-14
Packaged: 2018-10-18 17:05:16
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,796
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10621296
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/toomanycurls/pseuds/toomanycurls
Summary: Iris Harper works as a nurse in a London-area Emergency Room who ends up with a wizard as her patient.





	

It was the third hour of a twelve hour shift and Iris was bored to tears. She knew slow nights in Accident and Emergency were good, great even, but they were also dull. Iris’ short time as a nurse at a public hospital told her she’d either go home early listlessly tired or late exhausted from exertion – the night shift was rarely an in-between experience. 

Helping people in a moment of crisis and pain is the reason Iris went to university to be a nurse. Through all the years of hard work, studying, and social sacrifice Iris kept her eyes on the prize – a position at a prestigious hospital where she could make a difference. That is exactly what she landed but the day to day reality of her dream job could be both tedious and devastating.

It was always difficult when children came in through the doublewide swinging doors with their families close behind, faces etched with fear. Even worse when children came in without loved ones there to care for them. Iris was still working to harden her heart against the pangs of attachment to every patient who came into her care. 

Seeing patients her own age felt surreal to Iris as she had avoided being in hospital for anything other than work. At times her peers came to need hospitalization through reckless behavior but often it was due to difficult circumstances. The job made Iris grateful for her health and good fortune.

Sighing, Iris tugged her phone out of the pocket she sewed into her scrubs and checked the time, and her messages. Strictly speaking, phones weren’t allowed on the floor but Iris knew the doctors didn’t mind her having a phone, as long as she didn’t have it out around patients, or let it get in the way of providing care. 

Of course, all her friends were asleep and there were not any notifications. Disappointed that her smartphone didn’t provide some momentary excitement, Iris decided to go over the list of duties she had for nights like this.

Deep cleaning - Supply replenishment - File management

Nothing stimulating or interesting; all duty and monotony.

Iris was on her way to the supply room when her ears caught static over the radio at the desk. She turned just as a voice came through crackling with static.

“Ambulance ten coming in hot,” a familiar voice said.

“Thank you, Cecil,” Iris said to herself before the loudspeaker blared a request for Doctor Ali and the nurse on duty to meet the ambulance. A radio at the nurse’s station was just to give the nurse on duty a few moments alert, before a general page was sent through the entire facility.

Usually Cecil only said he was coming in hot when there was a very serious injury onboard – something he couldn’t easily summarize. An orderly had run to meet the ambulance and Iris found her way to Triage One – the room where Doctor Ali would assess the patient’s injury and the immediate care they needed.

“Evening, Harper,” Doctor Ali said when Iris walked in.

It never boded well for the patient when the doctor was there before the nurse. Usually it meant the EMT phoned and explained a compelling enough case for the doctor to stop whatever they were doing and run to triage.

“Evening, Doctor Ali,” Iris returned after a moment’s reflection on the approaching ambulance.

They had worked together enough for Doctor Ali to know he could rely on Iris through her shift, but hadn’t formed the rapport for Iris to call him Raj like other nurses did. The nurse who trained Iris warned that Doctor Ali only offered for a nurse to call him Raj when he wanted to make a move and that he went through quite a few nurses.

The door burst open and two orderlies wheeled in a mess of blood, clothing, and a man drifting in and out of consciousness. Already gloved, Iris sprang into action and began cutting away the tattered clothing for Doctor Ali.

“We got the call about an injured bloke near Charring Cross Road,” Cecil explained from the doorway. “There was a crowd and those that had been there said he appeared out of nowhere, literally.” Cecil’s voice carried over the terse instructions Doctor Ali gave as he cleaned and probed the deep cuts across the man’s abdomen.

In addition to numerous lacerations across the man’s torso, Iris noticed his bruised face which varied from fresh to days old, judging by the array of color. 

A scream from the patient silenced the room for a startling moment. “When did you administer analgesics?” Doctor Ali asked brusquely as he looked for the anesthesiologist. “Fully anesthetize him until we’re done here,” he instructed as the patient began to struggle in an attempt to sit up.

“Please, no more,” the man cried with his eyes closed tightly. “Bran, please.”

It was bloody work, but they got John Doe stabilized after a long couple hours. Even under general anesthesia he seemed to be under considerable duress that they couldn’t account for. Iris felt they were sewing the man back together with the materials that seemed little more than a needle and thread given the immensity of his wounds.

It fell to Iris to go through the patient’s clothes and try to find some form of identification, as Cecil hadn’t been able to find any as they brought him in. The blood-soaked clothing had numerous cuts, more than could be accounted for by the injuries on John Doe’s body. The largest piece of clothing seemed to be a cloak of some sort – Iris thought the man looked too old to be at university, but too young to be a solicitor or judge. In the pocket to his robe there was a wooden stick with an artistically carved design on the thicker end.

Thinking the design could help find the man’s name, Iris surreptitiously took out her phone and got a picture of the stick. It was an odd object to carry. That’s what Iris thought until she found a bag of gold and silver in the man’s jeans.

“What the bloody – “ Iris muttered to herself before her name was called on the intercom.

Doctor Ali was at the nurse’s station with John Doe’s chart. “Find any identification?” he asked without glancing up from the notes he was writing.

“No but he has some strange possessions,” Iris ventured.

“Illegal strange or just strange?” the doctor asked, not showing particular interest in the nurse’s observations.

“Not illegal,” Iris started.

“Then it’s probably not important, Harper,” Doctor Ali told her. “Here,” he handed Iris the tablet he’d been entering John Doe’s notes into. “He’s settled into room five and needs someone there when he wakes. Get his name and watch his vitals.”

Iris wondered what made the doctor think a single patient needed a dedicated nurse but didn’t argue with the order. She went into the dimly lit room and took the chair a family member or partner would usually occupy.

“Well, John, I’ll be your company tonight,” Iris said to the patient, despite his sedation. “I might as well see what the doctor had to say about you.”

It was well within her job to read through the admission notes but tonight it felt like snooping. Right away Iris understood why Cecil brought John Doe in hot and Doctor Ali wanted a close eye kept on him through the night. The notes read more like a sensational novel than medical records.

‘ _ Patient required sedation due to erratic behavior and claims we were “one of them” and that his father would avenge his death. Drug use or psychosis suspected. Patient attempted to fight off EMTs with a stick.’ _

Iris set the tablet down and observed the uneasy rest of John Doe. She was very curious about the man with unkempt hair and how he ended up in such a dire state. He was lean and, though it was hard to tell while he was lying in a hospital bed, on the shorter side. Apart from the ones that would be left by his current injuries, the man didn’t appear to have any noticeable scars or signs of past injury. With his hands secured to the bed, a precaution taken for the patient’s safety as well as hospital staff, Iris could see he man wore a wedding band. 

“How did you end up here?” Iris mused to the patient and wondered what the man’s family would think when they saw him in such a horrid state.  

Time passed slowly for Iris as she checked the patient’s vitals and waited for a change to his condition. Iris felt her eyelids get heavy from the warmth of the room and her sedentary position until the patient moaned. Green eyes fluttered open as the patient struggled to speak.

“Where…” his voice was hoarse and strained. Iris looked for the water she had prepared for the patient when he managed, “Saint…”

“That’s right, you’re at St. George’s and you’ve been badly injured,” Iris explained kindly as confusion often hit patients as they awoke from sedation. The man looked bewildered by her answer and then slightly more alert. “Have a sip of water,” she offered, holding a straw to the man’s mouth.

“Thanks,” he rasped after a sip.

Knowing Doctor Ali would want to know the man was awake, Iris excused herself to page the doctor. When she returned to the room, the man was looking around with a face full of tired curiosity.

“I’m Nurse Harper but please call me Iris. Can you tell me your name?” Iris asked, taking the seat next to John Doe. “Your wallet wasn’t with your things,” she added.

“A – Albus,” the patient told her cautiously. “Albus Potter.” Iris quickly wrote the name into the tablet so they could start a search and inform his family. “Please,” he whispered. “I need to get to my daughter. To Cora. She…”

Iris could see tears well in Albus’ eyes and put a comforting hand on his. “We’ll find your daughter, sir,” she promised. “Do you remember what happened?” Iris asked, leaning forward.

Before Albus could respond, a curt knock at the door announced Doctor Ali’s arrival. The doctor made his way to the bed and Iris stood to assist him in an examination.

“How are you feeling?” Doctor Ali asked after a brief introduction.

“Uh…” It was clear that Albus was at a loss for words, which was not unexpected given his situation.

“You’ve had a rough evening,” Doctor Ali told him. “We were able to prevent further blood loss but you still required a transfusion.” This news seemed to be meaningless to the patient but Doctor Ali went on. “We’ve taken x-rays and found fractures in your arm and ribs but we won’t set those until you’re in a better state from the stitches.”

The only response Albus had was a nod. Iris could tell the drugs were making him slow to comprehend the doctor’s words. “The patient has steady vitals and is showing no adverse reaction to his medication,” Iris told the doctor, knowing he would want a readout from her after speaking with the patient.

“Sounds like you’re doing quite well, considering, Albus,” Doctor Ali said after glancing at the tablet in his hands. “Iris will be staying here with you but she can get me if necessary. You’re in good hands,” he reassured Albus before turning to leave.

Hurrying to catch the doctor before he left, Iris smiled at Albus before stepping into the bright hallway. “Sir,” Iris said quietly. “I believe there may be a domestic situation with the patient. He mentioned a daughter.”

“I’ll alert Family Services,” Doctor Ali said before continuing to his next patient.

When Iris reentered the room, she saw Albus pulling feebly at his wrist restraints. “Those are there for your own safety,” she explained. “Is there anyone we can phone? Your spouse?”

Albus stopped tugging at the strap and shook his head. “Not him,” he croaked with a bleak expression. “Dad… He,” Albus coughed, struggling with a parched mouth. Iris offered him more water which he drank gratefully. “Harry Potter,” was all Albus managed.

“His name is Harry Potter?” she clarified. Albus nodded weakly. Iris entered the name into his file under next of kin and hoped that would help Family Service resolve the situation.

The expression on Albus’ face showed that anxiety was layered on top of his poor health. He seemed to be struggling with his thoughts and forming coherent thoughts. Finally, he asked, “Clothes?”

Iris understood he was asking for his possessions. “I’m afraid your clothing is ruined – it’s saved in a bag though,” she told him, pointing to a bundle in the corner of the room. Concern crossed Albus’ face and Iris remembered the stick and bag of coins. “Your other items are there too… do you want to see them?”

Before Albus could respond the door opened behind them. The bright light from the hallway caused the new arrival to be thrown in shadow, leaving only his silhouette visible to Albus and Iris. As he stepped out of the light hallway and into the dark room, his features became visible.

Just as Iris was going to ask his name and purpose, Albus began to cry out. “No… please,” his voice was strained but Iris could hear the fear in Albus’ words.

“Can I help you?” she asked in her best authoritative voice.

The expression on the man’s face was one of a person conducting mundane business but his eyes betrayed something deeper – rage and fear. “I’m here from Scotland Yard to oversee this man’s transfer to another hospital,” he said steadily through Albus’ protests.

“You evil fu –” Albus coughed violently for a few moments. “How could you?”

Not sure if her patient was suffering a delusion or if the man was a danger to Albus, Iris decided to be cautious. “Do you have identification and papers for his transfer?” she asked coldly. “The patient is in a fragile state and Doctor Ali won’t sign off on him being moved.”

The man handed her a badge and form which already had the doctor’s signature on it. “You’ll see I’ve already had authorization and at this point you’re just in the way.” 

Iris ignored the clear irritation in the man’s voice and read his badge. It listed his name as Inspector Brandon Savage and showed a photo that looked like the man in front of her. The transfer paper listed the destination as some place Iris had never heard of.

“Iris,” Albus’ voice was a plea of desperation. “Please don’t let him take me.”

Realizing that she couldn’t stop his transfer, Iris turned to Albus with a steady expression. “It’s okay, Albus. Inspector Savage is here to help you.”

Tears began to fall freely down Albus’ face and Iris’ heart ached. She couldn’t imagine the level of confusion and fear her patient was experiencing. Behind her, Iris heard the inspector leave the room.

“You don’t understand,” Albus said tensely through his hoarse voice. “He’s the one – “

Two orderlies who Iris didn’t recognize came into the room with a gurney and were closely followed by Inspector Savage. Turning to the menacing man, Iris requested, “Can I ride with him? I’m off in a little and I think the patient would benefit from a…” Iris was on the verge of saying less scary but thought it’d be improper. “Friendly face,” she said instead.

“That won’t be necessary,” Savage told her in a chilly tone.

“He needs his vitals monitored on the way,” Iris argued as she could hear Albus become more agitated.

“We have that taken care of,” the inspector snapped.

Feeling helpless, Iris watched as the orderlies wheeled a struggling Albus out of the room. Rushing to the door, Iris called out, “It’ll be okay, Albus.”

Iris felt a strong hand on her shoulder, pulling her back into the room. “Get your hands off me,” she snapped at the inspector. His eyes were focused at the last point where Albus had been in view until he shut and locked the door, casting them into darkness. 

“What are you – “ Iris began as she saw Savage pull a long, thin stick out of his pocket. She heard him mutter something and then –

It was a forgettable day at work. Iris made herself a quick meal as she changed out of her scrubs and into comfortable clothing. Her friends were just waking up and Iris’ phone buzzed with messages. Thumbing through her phone she noticed a new photo from her night at work.

A decorative stick and some play money.

“Huh,” was all Iris said before her toaster oven dinged, pushing the strange image from her mind. 

 

**Author's Note:**

> It was difficult writing a story from the POV of a nurse and set it in a hospital. I'm not sure I've hit any realistic with how patients are handled. 
> 
> If you're reading this as someone who has read all my next-gen stories you might have questions. I have answers but I won't be writing them for a long time. It's probably helpful to know this is ~6 years after the end of True Romance. 
> 
> Thank you so much to MegGonagall for beta'ing this for me and helping me with the title.


End file.
